Cigarette feed for packers



Sept. l2, 1933. c. ARELT CIGARETTE FEED FOR PACKERS Filed Jan. 19, 1953 QN U W N N INVENTO2 Patented Sept. 12, 1933 UNlTED STATES Partnr ortica CIGARETTE FEED FOR PACKERS Charles Arelt, Richmond Hill, N. Y., assigner to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 19, 1933. Serial No. 652,580

13 Claims.

This invention relates to cigarette feeds for cigarette packing machines, its main object being to provide more efficient vmeans for feeding the cigarettes from a bulk supply` of cigarettes into passageways in which the cigarettes travel in single rows to the packing machine.

Cigarette feeds for this purpose have commonly been provided with moving circular elements at the entrances of the passages supporting a part of the bulk of the cigarettes above and by their movement aiding the movement of the cigarettes into the passageways. These rollers have commonly been of iiuted metal construction and of a relatively small diameter and have been given a relatively great annular movement to insure the desired movement of the cigarettes into the passageways.v While this construction generally worked it gave trouble at times particularly with soft cigarettes through bridging or arching of groups of cigarettes over the entrance-` Ways and over part of the moving elements. Also the fluted rollers when given a suiiiciently rough surface to insure feeding of lthe cigarettes sometimes tore thecigarette Wrappers and owing to the amplitude of the movement given them to insure feedingthey shook the cigarettesjust above them so much as to shake an undesirable quantity of shorts from kthe ends of the cigarettes. Also owing to the small diameter of these rolls most of the load of the mass of the cigarettes in the hopper above the rolls fall on the slanting side Walls of the rolls or on the side walls plus an inverted V Vshaped guide mass at the center of the hopper all of which meant that the mainweight of the cigarette mass rested on stationary surfaces.

Thus, the principal objects of the present invention are to obviate the above diiiiculties. To this end it is an object of the invention to provide a smooth cigarette feeding element of circular shape but having a friction insert to support the cigarettes above without undue agitation while at the same time firmly feeding the cigarettes at the channel entrances into the channel. To this end also it is an object of the invention to provide rotating cigarette feeding elements which will slip under most of the cigarettes restingA thereon while at the same time effectively pushing a selected portion of the cigarettes in engagement therewith into the passageways. To the same end it is an object of the invention to provide rolls which will support a substantial .proportion of the mass of the cigarettes in the hopper without producing shorts by undue agitation of saidV mass, thus supporting said portion of the mass on moving surfaces. In brief, itis an object of the inventionv to produce cigarette feeding means at the entrance to the passagevvays which acts gently and with very little effect on the main mass of cigarettes resting thereon and at the same time acts effectively and relatively positively on the cigarettes adjacent the passageway entrances.

With these and other objects notrspecirlcally mentioned in view the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended. y

1n the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of theimproved cigarette feeding device with contents partially broken away; Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the same taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided in combination with a source of cigarette supply, chutes at the vbottom of said source, aseries of agitators in the bottom of said source and spaced apart at said chutes and having the major part of their surfaces anti-frictional and a minor part .thereof frictional and means for moving said agitators about their axis. Preferably said` means include devices for oscillating said agitators whereby they alternately move cigarettes to adjacent chutes, in the best forms contemplated, the agitators are given a limited movement to avoid engagement of the frictional area with cigarettes resting kon the upper portion of the agitators. In the best construction contemplated the frictional areas are formed by inserts of cork .or similar kfrictional material.` The foregoing parts and means may be varied in construction Within the scope of the claims for the particular mechanism selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the details of the specific structure shown and described.

`Referringtothe drawing, the right and left hand side walls l0 which `have a fixed rear wall 11 vform the cigarette hopper holding a source of supply of cigarettes in bulk. FiXedly attached to the rear wall 11 are sleeves 12 supporting vstuds 13 carrying cylindrical agitators ll extending into the cigarette hopper. A stud 13a carries a bell cranklever l5 actuating an arm 16 which operates `the arms 17 attached to the studs 13. To lever 15 is imparted an oscillating motion through a rod 18 by a cam thus oscillatingthe cigarette feeding agitators 14.

The agitators 11 are large relative to the cigarettes, being of a diameter several timesthat of the cigarettes so that a substantial part of the cigarette mass rests on the agitators. The agitators are so placed as to form, the lips of the mouths of the chutes 19 into which the cigarettes are fed. As the agitators i4 are oscillated, the cigarettes are alternately urged in opposite directions in the chutes at either side of the agitators, the reverse action tending to prevent jams and bridging. The major surface 13a`of the cylindrical agitators, which are commonly made of steel are preferably of a smooth antifrictional nature so that the surface slides under the cigarettes resting thereon without any considerable or violent movement likely to shake the short tobacco out of the ends of the cigarettes.

Adjacent the entrances to the chutes the agitators are provided with. a friction surface rof limited area for the purpose of more positively kicking the cigarettes nearest the entrance to the chute into the chute. While various types of friction surfaces may be used, a very satisfactory one comprises a cork insert set into the surface of the agitators at a position adjacent the chute entrance and nearest the neighboring agitator.

The levers 15 are preferably given a limited movement, less than 90, insuicient to cause the frictional part of the agitators to engage with the cigarettes resting on the top of the agitators. This movement may for instance be thirty or forty degrees. It has been found that due to the added efliciency of the frictional area in feeding the cigarettes, the cycle of this movement may be made more infrequent than with prior types, preferably two strokes a package. It wiil be noted from Fig. 1 of the drawing that the nearest surfaces of adjacent agitators are spaced apart alittle morev than the diameter of one cigarette topermit the passage of cigarettes into the chute one ata time, that is in a single row.

The passageways 19 on their ejevcting ends are horizontal, provided with division walls 21 against which the first cigarette of each half group lands when a new group enters the ejecting pocket. The cigarettes in this pocket are then ejected by a plunger to the packaging machine.

To provide for separate manual operation of the feed, the rod 18 actuated by a cam (not shown) is connected to an arm 22 loosely mounted on a hub 23 of an arm 24. The arm 22 at its otherA end is connected to the arm 24 by a spring actuated pin or stud 25. The motion thus imparted to the arm 24which` is pivotally mounted on a stud 26 carried by the left hand receptacle wall 10, actuates an arm 27 connecting to the bell crank lever 15. To disengage the above described automatic actuating unit, the knob 28 fastened.Y on the stud is pulled outwardly until the stud 25 is free of the arm 22;

The arm 24 can now `be manually operated and through its arm 27 actuates the bell crank lever 15, thus oscillating the rollers 14, thereby providmeans to agit-ate the cigarettes and dislodge or break. up any jams which may have occurred Ywhen the machine has been idle.

tainers. In this manner the loose tobacco isf prevented from falling into the passageways 19.

What is claimed is: 1. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with a source of cigarette supply, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series of agitators in the bottom of said source spaced apart at said chutes and having the major operating part of their surfaces anti-frictional and a minor part thereof frictional, and means for moving said agitators.

2. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with a source of cigarette supply, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series'of agitators in the bottom of said source spaced apart at said chutes and having the major operating part of their surfaces anti-frictional and a minor part thereof frictional, and means for moving said agitators, said means including devices for oscillating said agitators whereby they alternately move cigarettes to adjacent chutes.

3. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with a source of cigarette supply, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series of agitators in the bottom of said source spaced apart at said chutes and having the major operating part of their surfaces anti-frictional and a minor part thereof frictional, and means for moving said agitators, said frictional part comprising an insert of a material having a coefcient of friction substantially greater than that of the remainder of the agitator.

4. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with a source of cigarette supply, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series of agitators in the bottom of said source spaced 'no apart at said chutes and having the major operating part of their surfaces anti-frictional and a minor part thereof frictional, and means for moving said agitators, said frictional part com-n prising a cork insert in said agitators. *m5

5. In a cigarette feed'for packaging machines, the combination with a source of cigarette supply, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series of agitators in the bottom of said source spaced, I apart at said chutes and having the major operno ating part of theirsurfaces anti-frictional and a minor part thereof frictional, and means for moving said agitators, said frictional part being located on-the portions of said agitators adjacent, the passageway entrances and said means giving 'm5 .said agitators limited movement of less than 90 '7. Mechanism for feeding stick shaped articles'A 14@ comprising a'hopper, a plurality of cylindrical elements forming the bottom of said hopper and `spaced apart a distance suflicient to pass the articlesone at a time between them, friction surfaces of limited extent on the portions of said i elements nearest each other and means for giving said elements angular movement to feed the articles downwardly between the rollers.`

8., In a cigarette feed for packaging machines,

the combination witha source of cigarette supply, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a

series of agitators in the bottom of said source located between said chutes for facilitating movement of the cigarettes into the chutes, and devices between the chutes extending along and under said agitators for collecting shorts.

9. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with a source of cigarette supply, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series of agitators in the bottom of said source located between said chutes for facilitating movement of the cigarettes into the chutes, and inclined troughs between said chutes and under said agitators for receiving and carrying away shorts.

l0. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with a source of supply of cigarettes, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series of agitators in the bottom of said source spaced apart at said chutes, and means for moving said agitators, said means including mechanism for driving said agitators from a power operated element, a hand device for operating said agitators, and means operable by said hand device for disconnecting said mechanism'from said element.

ll. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with a source of supply of cigarettes, of chutes at the bottom of said source, a series of agitators in the bottom of said source spaced apart at said chutes, and means for moving said agitators, said means including mechanism for driving said agitators from a power operated element, a hand device for operating said agitators having a releasable connector mounted on said device and normally connecting said element and said device to drive the agitators by power and a hand hold on said connector whereby the connector may be moved out of connecting relationship with said element, and the device operated by moving the hand hold.

12. In a cigarette feed for packaging machines, the combination with an undivided cigarette hopper having opposed side Walls, of a plurality of vertically inclined passageways having their lower ends terminating in overlying horizontal portions and adapted to receive cigarettes from said hopper at their upper ends, and an uninterrupted seriesof cylindrical Vagitators on which the cigarettes rest spaced apart more than one and less than two cigarette widths, said series of agitators extending from one side wall of said hopper to the other, with one agitator between each of said passageways, whereby the mass of cigarettes in said hopper is supported mainly by said agitators, and bridging or arching of said mass over the entrance to said passageways is prevented.

13. In a cigarette feed for packing machines, the combination with a hopper having inclined side walls for holding a supply of cigarettes, of a series of cylindrical agitators having smooth upper surfaces on which the cigarettes in the hopper rest and forming the bottom of said hopper, said agitators being several times the diameter of the cigarettes to support a relatively large portion of the weight of cigarettes in the hopper, adjacent rolls being spaced apart to permit one row of cigarettes at a time to feed between them, and cigarette width chutes each leading a single row of cigarettes directly from between said agitators to a position Where cigarettes for a package are assembled.

CHARLES ARELT. 

